Friday, October 21, 2005

Near Death Experience

Actually, I just felt like I was dying. I did survive, however, and am nearly fully recovered.

It started fairly innocuously. I was surfing the web on Tuesday evening, reading news while my 2 wonderful teenaged kids were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. I started getting a little headache, which I mostly ignored since I suffer from frequent headaches. Then my back started hurting and my other joints started aching--all in the space of about 30 minutes. I retired to a more comfortable chair, wrapped up in a blanket, and started shaking. I had a serious case of chills and I was throbbing with pain all over.

The kids finished cleaning and came into the family room and stared at me. Through chattering teeth I asked for some ibuprofen and something to take it with. By then I had to move to a reclining position on the couch. My daughter fetched me some pillows and another blanket to help me warm up. They put on a movie to help distract me from my discomfort. About half way into the movie the ibuprofen kicked in, my aches eased, and the chills did a reverse course. I had to throw off all the blankets because I was burning up.

That was the story of my life for the next two days. My kids took care of me since my hubby was away on travel, plying me with gatorade to keep me hydrated and feeding me ibuprofen every 4 hours. They took such good care of me and asked many times what they could do for me. They never hestitated or complained when I made a request; they willingly and lovingly ministered to me.

I haven't been that sick in over 8 years and I had forgotten how awful it is to feel so wretched. And that is why I am glad I got ill--because I had forgotten. I needed that episode to remind me how terrible it is to feel that way. I needed it to help me empathize when my family and friends are ill. Some people have a natural capacity for empathy but I am not one of those. Now I can be a little better wife/mom/daughter/friend to those around me when one of them is sick.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the Great Empathizer. He does much more, however, than understand us. He brings comfort, hope, healing, peace, and often divine intervention in the most unexpected ways. It is great to have a family member or good friend to empathize with our weaknesses or sorrows. It is infinitely better to have a Saviour who can do something about whatever ails us.